Multistrada 1200 Enduro.

Ducati themselves describe the Multistrada as their “multi-bike”, their attempt at classifying this adventure tourer as the ultimate multi-purpose two-wheeler. It is powered by a liquidcooled 1,198.4-cc L-twin with 160 PS and 136 Nm on tap. At EICMA, Ducati not only showcased the regular Multistrada 1200 and Multistrada 1200 S, there was also the new Multistrada 1200 Enduro and a brilliant Multistrada Pikes Peak version (the last, of course, in homage to the legendary hill climb race held in America).

TOYOTA LAND CRUISER INVINCIBLE 2.8 D-4D AUTOMATIC.

When you’ve got a vehicle in your lineup as legendary as the Land Cruiser, the key to success is continuous evolution. Small improvements dotted throughout the model’s life will ensure that you have something new for customers that change their car regularly. This approach, Toyota has got down to a fine art, with the latest car benefiting from a brand new 174bhp 2.8-litre D-4D engine and six-speed automatic transmission that meets the latest Euro-6 emissions regulations. Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are both improved - up by 3.3mpg and down by 19g/km, respectively - but power and torque figures are disappointingly less than before. But despite the power cut, the on-road driving experience is enhanced compared to before. Performance is adequate, and while the engine is chattery from cold, it settles down a fair bit when warmed through. You’ll still hear it, especially when you floor the throttle, but at motorway speeds it settles down to a low roar, while road and wind noise are kept reasonably well in check. There’s a vagueness to the steering, however, cornering prowess is pretty good, with low levels of lean through bends, and generous amounts of grip. A choice of ‘comfort’ or ‘sport’ modes for the suspension means that things get too bouncy and wallowy in the former setting, but nicely firmed up in the latter, with all but the deepest of potholes and severest of undulations soaked up well, making the Sport mode the setting of choice for us. Off road, show the Land Cruiser a muddy field or a heavily rutted track and it’ll eat it up and spit it out - its mug plugging prowess far exceeds its ability on the road. The interior of the Land Cruiser has been steadily improved over time, with better and better materials used along the way. The majority of the plastics are of the soft-touch variety and all of the fixtures and fittings feel like they’ve been screwed together nicely and will stand up to a lifetime’s worth of abuse. The wood trim seems outdated to us, while the steering wheel would be better if it was covered entirely in leather, rather than having the slippery feel of the wood. Controls for the four-wheel-drive system dominate the centre console, with all of the buttons logically arranged up high on the dashboard. The navigation screen is ideally placed and easy to use, with clear and colourful graphics. Visibility is generally good all around the car thanks to its square shape and good sized windows, though the rear wiper is next to useless due to the small area that it wipes. Park it in tight spaces and you’ll curse the side opening tailgate, and wish that it had a more conventional up and over arrangement. The space available is also smaller than most rivals, despite the vehicle’s obvious bulk. Oddment space is well catered for thanks to a large cubby hole underneath the armrest, decently sized door pockets and glovebox, and a pair of cupholders. Even with a sunroof fitted, headroom is pretty good both front and rear, and back seat passengers will be impressed by the amount of knee room. The usual caveats apply when it comes to using the sixth and seventh seat in the back, with passengers likely to want the journey to be as short as possible, unless they’re a youngster.

MAKE MINE A “SUPERMID”.

Just as it did in 2015 with the 1299 Panigale, Ducati has upped the ante in 2016 with the smaller Panigale, giving the previous 899 the same stroke measurement as the 1299 to create the new 959 Panigale. Ducati wanted to ensure that the “supermid” Panigale kept pace with its bigger brother, so it invited the world’s motorcycling media to the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, to let us find out. Looking at the updates, they are minimal but important, with the engine’s slight increase in stroke from 57.2mm to 60.8mm (resulting in a total displacement of 955cc) necessitating a new crankshaft and connecting rods. The piston crowns are slightly different, while strict Euro 4 noise emissions standards required the fitment of a different exhaust system with dual muffl ers on the right side (thankfully absent from US models), along with ribbing on the cylinder heads and valve covers, and a different cam chain. Exhaust diameter was increased from 55mm to 60mm, while on the intake side, the 62mm oval throttle bodies now feature dual injectors. The clutch now has the slipper/assist function from the 1299 that provides lighter lever action and smoother downshifting when riding aggressively. Meanwhile, thanks to the bike employing the same cast-aluminum monocoque two-piece frame that uses the engine as a structural member, changes on the chassis side are limited to dropping the swingarm pivot 4mm for better rear-tire grip. I had spent a couple of days on an 899 Panigale last year at Circuit of The Americas in Texas, so I had a good idea of what to compare the 959 to. It didn’t take me long to realize that the 959 has power all over the 899 regardless-and not only more of it through the rpm range but smoother power, too, with fewer dips and bumps in the powerband. Ducati claims 157 hp, an increase of 9 hp from the 899’s 148 hp at 10,500 rpm, and a torque peak of 79 foot-pounds (a massive 6 foot-pound increase over the 899) at 9,000 rpm. The same Ducati electronics suite of RbW (Ride-by-Wire), DTC (Ducati Traction Control), EBC (Engine Brake Control), DQS (Ducati Quickshift), and Bosch ABS does an excellent job of keeping everything under control. With the DTC set to Level 2 in the Race riding mode, the new 959 Panigale comes off the corners well and continues pulling hard as the rpm rises. I did find, however, that you need to exercise some care in Race mode when opening the throttle midcorner, as the 959’s increased and more responsive torque can come on a little abruptly. If anything, it’s more of an annoyance, really, and it’s very manageable; you just have to be aware of it. The Sport mode throttle response is softer (with the rain-intended Wet mode softer still) and perhaps a little too soft for the track, which is why I left it in Race mode for the majority of my laps. Setting the EBC at Level 1 (the least enginebraking) with the slipper clutch was a big help under braking, allowing the rear end to step out just enough while hammering downshifts to aid but not interfere with corner entry. And speaking of braking, the feel and control provided by the Brembo M4.32 monoblock calipers and 320mm discs were outstanding, allowing trail braking deep into the corner without issues. The fully adjustable Showa 43mm Big Piston Fork offered a very solid feel in all conditions, and while the fully adjustable Sachs rear shock performed admirably, I was wishing for a slightly stiffer spring in the back to counter some squatting under acceleration. Midcorner stability was rock-solid, and although initial turn-in at speed took some effort (a likely by-product of the rear-end squat), overall steering habits were light and agile- the 959’s 430-pound wet weight surely helping matters here. The taller and wider windscreen definitely helps keep the windblast off you down long front straights better than its comparatively skimpy predecessor. And you can move around easily on the bike, aided by the same knurled footpegs found on the 1299 that grip your boots far better than the previously useless pegs found on generations of Ducatis that were only good to rest your feet on when cruising in a straight line. All told, boosting the displacement and adding subtle tweaks to its “Supermid” superquadro engine has yielded great results with the new 959 Panigale. This is the type of bike you can really feel like you’re squeezing all the potential out of, instead of the 1299 Panigale where at times you feel like you’re only along for the ride. Yeah, calling a bike with a 955cc engine a midsize machine is a bit of a stretch, but after a ride on the 959 Panigale, you probably won’t care one bit.